Normandy chicken

Normandy chicken made and served with In the loop dry white vermouth.

The acidity and sweetness from the apples and creme fraiche in this creamy winter warmer freshen it and stop it being too rich. 

Serve with smooth mash.

Ingredients (serves 2 for dinner with enough left over for lunch)

• 2 chicken breasts cut into big chunks
• 50g pancetta cut into small lardons
• 1 leek cut into rounds
• 200g chestnut mushrooms, halved
• 1 apple peeled, cored and cut into roughly 8 pieces 
• 10g unsalted butter
• 2 cloves of garlic peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 100ml In the Loop dry white Vermouth
• 1tbsp plain flour
• 1 pint chicken stock (use pre-made or mix 1 chicken stock cube with hot water)
• 100g creme fraiche
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh flat leaf parsley

Method

• In a hot, deep, non-stick saucepan sear off chicken and then remove once brown all over. In the same pan brown off pancetta and leek, then add mushrooms, apple and butter. Once everything is brown put chicken back in.
• Add garlic and thyme, then deglaze pan with Vermouth.
• Stir in flour
• Pour in chicken stock and bring to a simmer
• Stir in creme fraiche and season to taste
• Finish with fresh, chopped parsley and serve with mash.